The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 1885.

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5166, 7 August 1885, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 1885.

One of the chief products of the colony has ever been gold, and no doubt colonial advancement has been very materially aided by the development of the vast mineral resources which have from time to time shown' their existence in almost every portion of the land. This industry, which was the introductory influence in connection with the great prosperity of Victoria —in relation to mining in the Southern Hemisphere that colony holds a premier .position —should tend to make this colony the power which it should undoubtedly be from its natural wealth alone. Daily illustrations of the want of legislation regarding goldmining occur, »nd one of the most fruitful sources of the people's wealth is suffering from unwarrantable neglect. Throughout what is called the King Country —why so called, we are at a loss to conjecture—there have been several searches for the precious metals, with, in many instances, most satisfactory results. Surreptitious prospecting has been indulged in, and even following the taking of reports from the wily prospector under the cum grano saHs principle, sufficient in" ducementhas arisen to cause the wealth of the colony to be thoroughly tested. Within this—at present—prohibited territory, there can be little doubt vast deposits of treasures are lying in statu quo. It is Dot only from an insular view of the case that this matter should be considered; the Southern Island is also very wealthy in the mineral gift 3of the earth, and the insufficiency of encouragement given to their full fruition in the past requires strongly marking, and deserves that a note of objection should be sounded over the possibility of such deficiencies in the future. It is not only bringing to the surface and profitably utilising the Boyal metals that attention should be directed, steps should be taken to save and put to use the baser metals so plentiful on the field ; their use is irequent, and proper treatment should make their saving a source of revenue to those indulging in it.